The Week Ahead: Leap Ahead Into March

This year, Easter falls in March...Yes, it does! No it doesn't! You all are sooo right.  I was following something someone else said and leaped to a conclusion rather than check my calender!  It doesn't happen often but it falls in March every once in a while.  It feel in March the year I was married the first time.  In fact, I married on Easter Sunday that year.   The house was glorious with flowers that Daddy picked at roadside: peach blossoms, daffodils, violets, wild orchid (just a pretty weed), old fashioned spirea.  I carried a bouquet of violets so large I could barely hold them in my two hands.    It was lovely and I'll give kudos to my parents because I didn't tell them we were getting married the next day until 11pm the Saturday night before!  Mama cooked a ham and made a pound cake which was frosted with white icing and decorated with violets.

Worth Sharing This Week: Spring Watch

While fashion week is just done they were busy showing what to wear come fall and winter of 2020...but if you're like me, the main focus right now is spring/summer wear.  I find that for the most part I do best if I keep to the classics but some of the spring trends  are do-able in a classic manner.   I found a handy style guide here. What's in for 2020 that I'm interested in wearing? 

Pearls.  Not the Barbara Cleaver choker type nor the 1920's flapper type but something with a fresh take on pearls.  John got me two sets of pearl earrings.  One set is a sort of charm that hangs from my gold hoop earrings.  Another set is a more natural looking pearl that is on a tiny french hook.  I love both pairs.  I also would love to get these from Analouisa.com .

The Week Behind: New...Or At Least New to Me

Saturday:  A quiet day at home which suited me just fine.   I reheated cinnamon rolls and cooked sausages for our breakfast this morning.  I took out a chuck roast last night with plans to make that for today's dinner.  No plan for lunch...and it bites me yet again.

Coffee Chat: Where did February Go?

I'll offer you only hot drinks today...The heat started kicking on again mid-afternoon as the temperature dropped.  Hot cocoa, coffee or tea?   There's a lovely pound cake on the counter that Samuel made.  Have some?  It's light and lovely and fat free, as a bonus.

Cato and Goodwill Spring/Summer Purchases

Many years ago when we were deeply in debt and I needed work clothes, I learned the art of  shopping clearance racks, especially at Cato Fashion stores.  Nothing gave me a greater thrill than paying pennies on the dollar for something that had been well out of my price range.

The Week Ahead: Rain or Shine

This last week feels like a loss time-wise.  I have one more full week of February to accomplish any goals on my list .  There are two factors involved in how much I'll accomplish: How well I feel and rain.  There's more rain to come, no shock there, but sunny days ahead, as well.   I know that these dark cloudy dreary days have taken a toll on my energy.  As Bess and I talked the other day we both agreed we each needed to up our D3 intake.   Regardless of weather or feels, it being the last week of the month, the urge to just get busy and do all I can is very real.  Sometimes, it's the push that gets you through as much as the taking time to rest.

The Week Behind: Went

Saturday:  It was a beautiful day...

John went off to the men's meeting at church early this morning.  I was looking forward to easing into the day when Katie texted asking if I'd mind keeping the baby while she went to pick up Taylor.  Little fellow is sweet company to have and doesn't talk much so I felt it would pretty much be like I was on my own except I'd have someone to snuggle. 

Noted that the birds have finally found my feeder and there were several sparrows, a robin and several red birds who showed up to feed today.  A woodpecker kept them all company, though he didn't want any of the seed tray.

Worth Sharing This Week: Romantical Things

Valentine's Evening John put on Puddles Pity Party...Doesn't sound romantic?  Well Puddles is a clown but he has the most awesome voice.  Check him out on Youtube.  He does standards and new arrangements of some rock songs.  This particular video, he did several old standards including "Charade" which was written by Henry Mancini for the soundtrack of the movie by the same name.

This song is so hauntingly lovely.  I wanted to share Puddles singing the song, but I can't find the video John was playing.   However, Andy Williams recorded the song and he's still my crooner of choice.

My February to March Capsule Wardrobe

I struggled a bit with this capsule.  The weather has been more than usually all over the place in February here in Georgia.  I never really know if it's going to be cool outdoors or 80F which is most assuredly not cool and can be downright unpleasant if you'd made the mistake of going out in a pullover sweater with a blouse and cami underneath.   And it's no use saying to watch the weather because I do and I've found the forecast changing remarkably from hour to hour at times.  There's no planning ahead.  I'm finding it best really to just dress lightly and then add layers accordingly when I step to the door and discover what the weather feels like.

The Week Ahead: B'day Number 5

Isaac's b'day was Thursday.  He did not take kindly to turning three.  No indeed.  He scowled, he yelled, he turned a cold shoulder to everyone.

Turns out he was upset because his daddy informed him Thursday morning that he was a big boy now and  not a baby any more.  That on top of a new baby coming into the household pretty much spoiled his day on Thursday.  Mind you Daddy meant it as a compliment and a joyous thing but going from being the baby of the family to being a middle child is not an easy transition.

The Week Behind: Blue Skies Smiling At Me

Saturday:  I planned to roast a chicken today.  I didn't want to use the pan with a rack, so I made my own rack in the oval casserole: cut up carrots and celery and let the chicken roast atop that 'natural rack'.  These vegetables will also go into the bag with the bones to season the broth I make.

John turned on the propane heater when he got up.  I kept thinking we'd shut it off at some point int he day but the heat pump continued to come on all through the day even with the propane heater going.

Worth Sharing This Week: Room To Grow

The Jane Austen Newsletter recommended this soundtrack from the movie "Emma" this week.

 What a pleasant bit of listening that was!   Since the frontispiece identified the composer of the works as Rachel Portman,

The Week Ahead: All Quiet?

Last week was so full that I could barely think at times.  I had fun with the boys and especially with Isaac but confess that by Friday all I wanted to do was just let him lie quietly with the Kindle in hand and watch Baby Grandpa Dentist.   Doesn't that sound weird, the Baby Grandpa, I mean?

Worth Sharing This Week: Rest and Restoration

This week my post is more a random selection of things once more.  All of which moved me deeply


There are new posts up on The Cultivating Project.

Lancia Smith's post on Rest was so thought provoking.  I've copied snippets here to share but let me urge you to go read this post for yourself.  

The Week Behind: Birthday Week for Three!

Saturday:  Since we agreed to return to eating our bigger meal later in the day, I did only minor prep work yesterday.

Today for lunch I boiled eggs for egg salad sandwiches.  While boiling eggs for that, I added extra to the pot and boiled 1 for potato salad and more for deviled eggs.

As I prepared potatoes tonight I cut up extra for tomorrow's potato salad.  I covered them with water and put int he fridge.

Another Aldi Shopping Post

About six years ago, I finally gave Aldi a try.  It had been in an area about a year at that point and I'd heard loads about it from other bloggers who had stores in their areas.  I decided that I had to at least try it out.  I went into the store and purchased a few items and most were to our taste.  I couldn't beat the prices because at that time they were THE least expensive option on many items.  They were also very limited on what they carried and many more items were considered seasonal than they are now.  It was hit or miss with some basic food items at that time, like yeast and baking powder.  I shopped at Aldi for about 60% of my groceries but out of necessity continued to shop at other stores, too.

February Goals: Time to Get Back In Form

January has sailed past and we're about to enter February in a few hours.  I enjoyed January this year.  It was relaxed and easy and we laid a lot of worries to rest as the month played out.  But a new month means that this years is 1/12th gone and it's time to set my goals so that I can achieve the things that I hope to achieve this year.  One little bite at a time is the only way to go.

So let's get started with planning.

The Week Ahead: Birthdays for How Many?

January is done and over...and the first 12th of the year has disappeared.  It gives me pause to think how busy I was most of the month and how little it seems I got done in it!  Yet if I look back over the goals I made for each week most jobs were attended to.  It's the leisurely things I meant to do that went undone: reading, sewing, embroidery, genealogy, making cards, taking time to color, etc...So I'm making it my goal to count creative and reading time into every day this month!